Europa League: 18-year Rashford Rescues United
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has come out to praise his young stars after they helped his side overcome Midtjylland 5-1 in the Europa League, Sky Sports reports.
Rashford was initially supposed to be on the bench for the game, but Anthony Martial was injured in the warm up so it meant that the youngster would be thrown in at the deep end.
Marcus Rashford could not contain his joy after he netted his first Manchester United goal against Midtjylland, as he celebrated with supporters in the Family Stand.
Carrick, now 34 and who played in an unaccustomed centre-back role on Thursday night, got his introduction to senior football as a teenager with West Ham in 1999 and Rashford’s debut put him in nostalgic mood.
Van Gaal also played down the seriousness of Martial’s injury, although he did not shed any light on whether the Frenchman would be fit for the visit of Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
“I think it is a fantastic performance because we started so well and created so many chances”, Van Gaal said after the game. “I wasn’t anxious about him”.
“Therefore, this match is very important, I think, for a lot of players”.
It was Joe Riley’s first game at Old Trafford and Marcus’s debut as well and we couldn’t have asked for more from them. Ander Herrera and Memphis Depay added late goals, ensuring the final score matched United’s complete dominance.
“You say they played a second team, and what am I doing now?”
It hardly seemed the ideal build-up to a must-win European encounter on which his manager’s future rested, but the 18-year-old delivered for Van Gaal just when the exit door beckoned for both United’s European campaign and the Dutchman’s spell as a manager.
United found themselves facing fresh embarrassment in a desperately disappointing season when they fell 3-1 behind on aggregate on Thursday after Pione Sisto scored for the visitors in the 27th minute at Old Trafford.
It was left to Herrera, from the penalty spot, and Depay, with a wonderful solo goal, to finish the Danish team off. Andre Romer was sent off for Midtjylland with the score at 4-1.
“Chris is a question mark, but you never know”.
“I am very happy with my goal and I am on the right track”.